omg guys😍😍😍😍😍 this was so cute!!! I think I finished this in like a day! first ali hazelwood book to really charm me! shoutout to natasha for slaying with the book recs as per usual :) this is a ya romance about ex chess champion who enters a charity chess tournament as a favour for her friend even though she quit chess a few years ago for mysterious reasons. She ends up having to vs. the world no. 1 (who is a cute boy her age🤭). this is a massive upset as he literally hasn't been beaten in forever so she gets heaps of media attention and eventually she is asked to do a one year fellowship by this lady. she really doesn't want to do this cause she hates chess (once again, for unknown reasons) but she's just been fired from her mechanic job and needs money so she agrees to do it :) this book follows her and with her evenutal romance with the world no. 1. I don't really have much to say about this book but mostly just so cute! this was my more preferred style of romance book where you have one main pov character that you learn a lot about and they have their whole arc and then you have their love interest that is just the icing on the cake :) i think mallory's personal journey was just so heartwarming and her and the main guy's relationship (forgot his name soz) was just so, like, awwwwwww🥺🥺 anyway highly recommend if you're looking for a ya contemorary romance! 4.5 stars <3